It's been a contentious battle, with other lawmakers saying it would jeopardize public schools.

On Thursday, the gloves came off at a kickoff campaign for a charter school law to be enacted.

"Pretty much across the board, the education establishment opposes charter schools in Kentucky. It's going to be a fight," said state Rep. Brad Montell, R-Shelbyville.

"The civil rights fight of our era is about education, it is about school choice, about giving people an equal opportunity," said U.S. Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky..

They are powerful words from powerful political leaders about charter schools in Kentucky and what it means for Jefferson County if the state doesn't pass a charter school law.

"The education commissioner, Terry Holliday, has referred to the situation in Jefferson County as academic genocide. Academic genocide," said U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky..

As independently-run public schools, charter schools are the opt-outs to poor-performing schools in the state. Jefferson County has 18 consistently low-performing schools.

"This is a genuine crisis," said McConnell.

While charters are free, like public schools, they're not under the same guidelines or financial restrictions. They have longer hours and are specifically created to raise individual student achievement. Teachers are also usually paid more.

Lawmakers argue public schools are against charters because they're concerned they'll lose their students, teachers and funding.

"When you have a school with a 40 percent graduation rate, it's hard to inquire going backwards, and so it's simply time for them to try this," said Hal Heiner, chairman of the Kentucky Charter Schools Association.

"Where I want to spend my time is improving every school so that again, every school parent knows that their child can be successful," said JCPS Superintendent Donna Hargens.

Hargens was invited to be on the panel but declined and chose to listen. While she didn't say outright she's against charters, she did say JCPS already has alternatives that can help.

"In Jefferson County, magnet schools and traditional schools are choice schools with the school system," said Hargens.

This topic will take center stage in the state House this fall. That's because, Montell said, he will file another charter school bill at that time.

Besides local, state and federal lawmakers, representatives from the National Alliance For Public Charter Schools and the Black Alliance For Education Options took part in the panel.

ALLOW PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOLS...AND SOME POWERFUL LAWMAKERS SAY THAT NEEDS TO CHANGE. IT'S BEEN A CONTENTIOUS BATTLE..WITH OTHER LAWMAKERS SAYING IT WOULD JEOPARDIZE PUBLIC SCHOOLS. TODAY..THE GLOVES CAME OFF AT A KICKOFF CAMPAIGN FOR CHARTER SCHOOL LAW. WLKY'S ANN BOWDAN HAS MORE. POWERFUL POLITICAL LEADERS ABOUT CHARTER SCHOOLS IN KENTUCKY..AND WHAT IT MEANS FOR JEFFERSON COUNTY..IF THE STATE DOESN'T PASS A CHARTER SCHOOL LAW. AS INDEPENDENTLY RUN PUBLIC SCHOOLS, CHARTER SCHOOLS ARE THE "OPT OUTS" TO POOR PERFORMING SCHOOLS IN THE STATE. JEFFERSON COUNTY HAS 18 CONSISTENTLY LOW PERFORMING SCHOOLS. WHILE CHARTERS ARE FREE LIKE PUBLIC SCHOOLS, THEY'RE NOT UNDER THE SAME GUIDELINES, OR FINANCIAL RESTRICTIONS. THEY HAVE LONGER HOURS..AND ARE SPECIFICALLY CREATED TO RAISE INDIVIDUAL STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT. TEACHERS ARE ALSO USUALLY PAID MORE. LAWMAKERS ARGUE PUBLIC SCHOOLS ARE AGAINST CHARTERS BECAUSE THEY'RE CONCERNED THEY'LL LOSE THEIR STUDENTS.. TEACHERS AND FUNDING JCPS SUPERINTENDENT DR. DONNA HARGENS WAS INVITED TO BE ON THE PANEL..BUT DECLINED..AND CHOSE TO LISTEN. WHILE SHE DIDN'T SAY OUTRIGHT SHE'S AGAINST CHARTERS..SHE DID SAY JCPS ALREADY HAS ALTERNATIVES THAT CAN HELP. BESIDES LOCAL, STATE AND FEDERAL LAWMAKERS..REPRESENTAT IVES FROM "THE NATIONAL ALLIANCE FOR PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOLS", AND "THE BLACK ALLIANCE FOR EDUCATION OPTIONS" TOOK PART IN THE PANEL.

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